Marlboro

Formed January 1, 1785 (15^th county)

Marlboro County (26,668), Bennettsville (7,017)

The modern looking facility was actually built in 1951.  It is situated on Main Street at Broad Street.  United States Highway 15 Business is Main Street.  Henry D. Harrall designed this Modern red brick and concrete courthouse.  The building features faux columns and a tower with a working clock.  Veteran memorials are on the grounds.  There was an 1885 courthouse also in Bennettsville.  Pee Dee was the first county seat until 1819.  The county was established on January 1, 1785 as the 15^th county.  It was named for the Duke of Marlborough.  Bennettsville is named for Governor Thomas Bennett.  Marlboro County is the birthplace for 2 South Carolina Governors, John L. Wilson and Barnabas K. Henagan. 

Marlboro County government consists of a sheriff and 8 Council Members.  Two Circuit Court Judges and Four Family Court Judges serve Marlboro, Chesterfield, Darlington, and Dillon counties.  The county is on the eastern border with North Carolina.  Columbia, South Carolina is southwest and Charleston, South Carolina is south of the county.  The county center is 5.3 miles South of Bennettsville.  The county is surrounded clockwise by North Carolina and Dillon, Florence, Darlington, and Chesterfield counties. 

The area of the county is 486 square miles.  It is 37 out of 46 in the state.  It ranks 35 out of 46 in population in the state.  It has a density of 54.9 persons per square mile making it 29 out of 46 in the state.  Marlboro County has 37.1% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 1 enters the county from the north, North Carolina, and exits to the west, Chesterfield County.  United States Highway 15 crosses northeast to southwest from North Carolina to Darlington County.  The county resembles a blockhead facing southwest.  Bennettsville is located near the center of the county.  Bennettsville is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 26.3% of the county population.  This county is in the Bennettsville Micropolitan Statistical Area.